The Ilchester Estate in Dorset, owned by one of Britain’s wealthiest women, Charlotte Townshend, has been fined nearly £28,000 for breaching water usage limits during a drought.
The estate, which spans over 15,000 acres, exceeded its permitted water abstraction by nearly 7,500 cubic metres—equivalent to three Olympic-sized swimming pools—between December 2022 and July 2023.
The Environment Agency (EA) found that the estate had “deliberately flouted” the conditions of its £120-a-year water abstraction licence, which allows it to draw water from the Dorset Frome chalk stream to supply its properties, farms, and businesses.
Despite previous warnings and advice on applying for an increased limit, the estate continued to over-abstract water for several years.
Charlotte Townshend, ranked 287th in the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List, has an estimated fortune of £489 million, largely inherited.
The Ilchester Estate, passed down through generations, includes the Grade I-listed Melbury House, where Townshend resides.
She also owns at least 20 acres of prime real estate in Holland Park, London, one of the country’s most affluent areas.
Beyond property, Townshend manages the historic Abbotsbury Swannery, home to the world’s only managed colony of nesting mute swans.
Uniquely, she is one of the only individuals besides the King permitted to own swans in the UK, a privilege dating back to Henry VIII’s reign in 1543.
The Dorset Frome is one of only 200 chalk streams in the world, the majority of which are in the UK. These ecologically fragile waterways provide vital habitats for wildlife and are under increasing threat from climate change, pollution, and excessive water abstraction.
Over-extraction during a drought can cause severe damage to these delicate ecosystems, reducing water levels and harming native species.
The Environment Agency condemned the estate’s actions, stating that companies and individuals with water abstraction licences must adhere to strict conditions to prevent environmental harm.
The Ilchester Estate has paid a financial penalty of £19,777.69, plus additional costs of £8,298.60, for exceeding its permitted water usage.
In response, a spokesperson for the estate expressed regret over the breach and confirmed that measures have since been taken to prevent further violations.
Investments have been made in upgrading the estate’s water infrastructure, improving leak detection, and implementing daily monitoring of water abstraction.
Despite the fine, concerns remain over the enforcement of water restrictions on large estates and businesses during periods of environmental stress.
Conservation groups continue to call for stricter monitoring and penalties to protect the UK’s rare chalk streams from further degradation.
